Michael Foley and Brian Foley were recently honored by Boy Scout Troop 40 for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout — scouting’s highest rank. Identical twins, they are the sons of Brian and Patti Foley. Both are juniors at High School North, as well as accomplished skiers who have competed on the Camelback Alpine Ski Team for five years. Both have served as ski instructors at Camelback Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania for the past two years.
Michael Foley completed an Eagle Scout Service Project to restore the outdoor classroom at Maurice Hawk School in West Windsor. “I have vivid memories of my teachers teaching my class in the outdoor classroom,” says Michael. “When I saw that the classroom had not been used in years because of deterioration I immediately knew that renovating the classroom would be the perfect Eagle Scout project.”
With the help of assistant scoutmaster Richard Ruff and 55 adult and youth volunteers, he designed and rebuilt the space. The project removed overgrown trees, weeds, and bushes; removed mold from the seating area; replaced the old support blocks; and replaced the bench tops with a long-lasting composite manufactured from recycled materials called TREX. They also installed a new drain, teacher’s desk, landscaping, and mulch. The project reflects 437 hours of work from the adult and youth volunteers.
Michael began his scouting career in first grade as a Tiger Cub in Pack 66. After bridging to Troop 40 in 2007, he held leadership positions including Patrol Quartermaster, Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, and Webmaster. His many campouts with Troop 40 included canoe trips, Klondike derbies, Appalachian Trail hikes, Camp NoBeBoSco summer camps, West Point Invitational Camporees, and Special Olympics.
Michael also attended the National Boy Scout 100th Jamboree in Virginia, the Sea Base High Adventure Trip in the Florida Keys, and traveled to New Mexico to hike the “Tooth of Time” at Philmont Scout Ranch. This summer he attended the Bechtel Summit Reserve Shakedown in preparation for the 101st Jamboree, where he will serve as an EMT. Michael also completed National Youth Leadership Training, became a Brotherhood Member in the Order of the Arrow, and obtained the Ad Atari Dei religious emblem. Michael earned and was awarded his Bronze Palm.
Michael plans to study athletic training and emergency medicine in college. He is a Cadet EMT member of the Twin “W” First Aid Squad in West Windsor, a junior firefighter with Princeton Junction Fire Department, and he is currently attending Firefighter I at Mercer County Fire Academy.
“My mentor, Denise Mengani, was instrumental in my project from start to finish,” says Michael. “My project will not only benefit the future generations of Hawk students but will also benefit the community.”
For his Eagle Scout Service Project, Brian Foley designed and built two hexagonal tree benches at Community Middle School in Plainsboro. Assistant Scoutmaster Ruff provided Brian with guidance, and 25 other adult and youth volunteers contributed 240 hours of their time to the project. The tree benches were built out of TREX and are located around two lamp posts at the front entrance of the school.
Brian has held many leadership positions within the troop, including assistant senior patrol leader, patrol leader, troop guide, Order of the Arrow representative, assistant senior patrol leader of equipment, Order of the Arrow Sanhican Chapter Chief, and senior patrol leader. Brian also consistently leads the troop in fundraising sales of popcorn and wreaths. In 2010 his popcorn sales ranked fourth out of more than 10,000 scouts in the Central New Jersey Council.
In his scouting career, Brian became a Brotherhood Member and Sanhican Chapter Chief of the Order of the Arrow; completed National Youth Leadership Training; received the Paul Bunyan Woodsman Award, received the Ad Atari Dei religious emblem and the Historic Trails Award; and earned several emergency medical certifications.
He also attended countless campouts with Troop 40, including NJ State Police Camporee, the Special Olympics, Camp NoBeBoSco, Klondike Derbies, the West Point Invitational Camporees, the Sea Base High Adventure Trip in the Florida Keys, the Camelback Ski Trip, the 100th National Boy Scout Jamboree, the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico where he served as crew chief. He also attended the Bechtel Summit Reserve Shakedown in West Virginia this summer in preparation for the 101st National Boy Scout Jamboree where he will serve as an EMT. Brian earned and was awarded his Bronze Palm. He began scouting in first grade as a Tiger Cub in Pack 66.
Brian plans to seek an appointment to the United States Military Academy. An EMT and cadet president of the Twin “W” First Aid Squad in West Windsor, Brian is a junior firefighter with Princeton Junction Fire Department. He is currently attending Firefighter I at Mercer County Fire Academy.
“I wanted to make a lasting memorable impression on what an Eagle Scout can do for his community,” says Brian. “I chose a project that is different and unique that is fully utilized throughout the year.”
